CHICAGO (Nov. 8, 2023) — U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team head coach Stuart Sharp has selected the 14-player roster that will represent the United States at the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile from Nov. 18-26.
As part of U.S. Soccer’s initiative to develop winning teams, the No. 4-ranked U.S. Men’s CP National Team will utilize the Parapan Am Games as continued preparation for next year’s IFCPF World Cup and will look to build off recent successes that saw it earn its best-ever overall finishes at its two most recent major tournaments. At the 2019 Parapan Am games in Lima, Peru, the USA navigated the group stage with a 5-1-0 record before defeating Venezuela 7-0 to win the bronze medal. At the 2022 IFCPF World Cup in Salou, Spain, the USCPMNT won its group for the first time at a World Cup before eventually falling to Brazil 2-0 in the Third Place Match.
“With us only seven months away from the World Cup, this competition is an important milestone as we continue positioning ourselves as a leading nation in the game,” said USCPMNT head coach Stuart Sharp. “We are gradually transitioning the makeup of our squad with some new players joining the group in recent months, and going up against regional powerhouses such as Argentina and Brazil are the perfect way to fine-tune this process. But make no mistake, the players and staff are keenly focused on our primary goal, which is to return with a medal.”
The USA carries over significant experience from the team’s last two major tournament appearances, with 11 returnees from Lima 2019 and 12 players back from the 2022 World Cup roster. The veteran squad is led by captain and defender Josh Brunais, fellow backliner Drew Bremer and goalkeeper Sean Boyle, all of whom have represented the USCPMNT since 2016.
The trio is joined by midfielder Adam Ballou, who is now in his 15th year representing the USA in CP soccer after making his international debut in 2009, while fellow midfielder Ben Lindau will make his fourth major tournament appearance.
With a combined 17 goals in his last three major competitions, striker Cameron DeLillo returns after leading the USA with nine goals at Lima 2019. He’s joined up top by forward Shea Hammond, whose five goals at the 2019 World Cup saw him finish tied for second on the team in scoring.
2023 PARAPAN AMERICAN GAMES ROSTER BY POSITION (HOMETOWN)
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Sean Boyle*^ (Minneapolis, Minn.), 12-Marc Estrella*^ (Bakersfield, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (4): 8-Drew Bremer*^ (East Grand Rapids, Mich.), 13-Josh Brunais*^ (Stafford, Va.), 6-Jacob Kaplan*^ (Morganville, N.J.), 2-Frankie Lowery* (Fort Collins, Colo.)
MIDFIELDERS (4): 7-Adam Ballou*^ (Virginia Beach, Va.), 10-Ben Lindau*^ (Chicago, Ill.), 11-Kevin McCandlish^ (Chesapeake, Va.), 4-Wesley Pincince (Dunbarton, N.H.)
FORWARDS (4): 3-Jacob Crumbley*^ (Fortson, Ga.), 9-Cameron DeLillo*^ (Blandon, Pa.), 14-Shea Hammond*^ (Montclair, N.J.), 5-John Sullivan^ (Tucson, Ariz.)
*-Part of 2019 Parapan Roster; ^-Part of 2022 IFCPF World Cup roster
